Trailer hitches are added to vehicles such as automobiles and pickup trucks to provide the capability of towing another vehicle such as a trailer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,840 discloses a hitch protector which is end mountable on the receiving socket of the vehicle hitch and is retained by a retention pin. This protector can be removed when not in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,311 discloses a trailer hitch which has a socket member to grasp the trailer hitch ball while permitting pivotal movement of the trailer hitch assembly on the ball. A sleeve mechanism is used for locking the trailer hitch when the trailer is unattended.
Locking devices to prevent the theft of trailers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,000,067, 3,884,055 and 3,782,762. These devices, however, as well as those described above fail to disclose the present invention.